1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the art of automatically or mechanically packaging articles of commerce. More particularly, the invention comprises a machine for automatic application of adhesive coated labels to folded cartons or boxes.
2. Prior Art
Staples of commerce such as envelopes and packages of letter-sized paper are unitized in cartons or boxes for final shipment to a specific distributor or large order consumer. The number of such final shipment cartons of a particular article to a particular destination may range from a few score to several thousand. Each such carton must be labeled as to contents and addressee.
Although the prior art is well acquainted with large and complex label application equipment suitable for continuously labeling many thousands of cartons daily with the same information, small, simplified equipment economically capable of short production runs at low to intermediate production rates is either unavailable or unsatisfactory.
To the degree that suitably productive equipment is available for the task defined, such equipment is designed to handle labels with pressure sensitive contact adhesive. Such labels are secured to adhesive protection tapes which must be separated from the label prior to application. Comparatively, contact adhesive labels are several times more expensive than moisture activated pre-gummed labels or fountain roll applied liquid adhesive. High-speed continuous production equipment applies a coating of liquid adhesive to the label backside by the machine immediately prior to placement of the label on a respective carton.
It is, therefore, an objective of this invention to provide a machine for automatic placement of water moistened, pre-gummed labels at a precisely selected position on folded boxes or cartons.
Another objective of this invention is to provide a highly simplified, rotary mechanism for transfer of pre-gummed labels from a magazine box to a carton flap.
Another objective of this invention is to provide a simplified and inexpensive coordinate timing mechanism between a rotary transfer mechanism and a lugged feed belt.
Another objective of this invention is to provide highly effective and equally inexpensive timing clutch mechanism for coordinating the operation between two rotary mechanisms driven from a common drive source.